Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-10-20
JOUR MARY"

Jour MARY"
"Be ye the lady a'wantin' . guyrir'
looked up with q start
The speaker stood in my hallway,
awe PLACE, I'm Mary Mozart.
Al me CO sin beyant in the Bayhive
WaZ tellin' av' me to-day,
Ye be wantin' help, so fought I'd step IN,
AS CHANGED to be pas'in' this way"
Isteadied myself by Ted's cradle,
Night and day I'd watched DER that child
Hoping and doubling and fearing,
Till it seemed must go Wild.
Only desperate mother
HalfcraZed with worry and care,
Can know how welcome TO me was the form
That saw in the doorway there.
""Well Mary" said ], without preface,
II don't know how well you can do,
But you see how 1t Is here-thls baby,
They say, can not live the day through;
If you have the heart OF woman,
Or the least spark of pity can feel,
Hang your hat on tho nail there and do mp my
work"
Says Mary: "All right, mean, weeL'
This was Mary-so cheerful and willing,
She did As she liked few days,
All knew was tho children took to her
When the terrible crisis was over,
And Ted began slowly to mend,
Twas then discovered her merits,
For Ted was hard child TO tend
"Tired, Maryy' so often rvs asked her
When, the kitchen all "tidy and nate
Shed don her fine hat, with bright roses,
To "sthep down forninst on the 'ate."
No matter how great tho days trials,
How hard she had toiled or how long,
The answer was always forthcoming:
me tiredi Oh, no, ma'am, I'm sthrong"
kept Mary years. All her young strength
Was cheerfully used at my need;
found her, in sunshine or shadow,
srue and loyal-a treasure indeed
When John was sent West, all the children
At first refused stoutly to CO.
For Mary wouldn't leave Massachusetts,
With her poor "co' sin" ailing, you know.
We didn't forget Mary, however.
And, OF course, when came East went
To the Beehive" to call on "Our Mary"
With presents the children had sent.
For minute the girl did not know me
She was tending her dead cousins boy
But when she saw clearly it was an old friend
She burst out a-crying for Joy.
It was hard for her tending that baby,
And taking in washing as well;
j really IelS sorry 1Or Mary.
And wished she might rest up q spell.
teld John thought We should help her
But John-well John said that he knew
Mary must have sum out at interest,"
Perhaps cool thousand or two.
I wish I'd insisted. John always
Gives in to me, after awhile
But I'll own fell in with the notion
That Mary had q snug pile.
She was firm, too, about that poor baby
1t was the dead cousins request
She should care for the child-or else am sure
Wed have taken her back with US West.
Ted, our baby, was just entering college
When We came to New England ''for good;"
And soon 1 made search for "Our Mary"
As always had planned that would.
Time flies, and knew she was aging
Was quite An old woman, in truth
And knew she couldn't choose places
The same rs she did in her youth.
All, well! suppose it is natural
To be careless OF service that's past;
But this fact gave me small consolation
When got news of Mary at last.
Even John felt condemned, when twas told
him
That Mary used oft to lament
Over being transferred to the almshouse
Where foreign-bo paupers are sent
She wasn't sick long. "1ust worn out, like"
They sad and the child had died first.
1t was well-to have left that poor orphan
Would have troubled our Mary the worst.
John SAW that they both had head-stone,
And their graves are well cared for each year,
Yet never can think OF poor Mary
Without sharp remorse and \ tear.
To-day there are many stout Marys,
Running tireleSs at each beck and call,
Giving freely their young lives in service
Their faithful devotion, their all.
Whenever hear thoughtless women
Their servants begin TO berate,
! tell them OF one faithful servant
Whose true worth saw when too late.
-BOstOn Gl0be.